William sloan



@einen taten @anni @fitta VILLIAM SLOAN, OF HIGHLAND, IIO'YWA.` Letters Patent No. 65,700, dated June Il, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN SLEIGH-BRAKE.

@te Stinnes referat tu in time tttets uteut nnb making nut nt tige time.

TO ALL WHOM I'I MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM SLOAN, of lIighland, in the county of Clayton, and State of Iowa., have invented a new and improved Sleigh-Brake; and I do herehj' declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable .others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this speeiiieation, in which- Figure 1 is a side view of a sleigh with my improved bra-ke attached.

Figure 2 is a rear end view of one runner of the same.

Similar' letters of reference indicate like parts.

My invention consists in an improved brake for sleighs, constructed, arranged, and operated as hereinafter more fully described. I i

-A is the runner; B are the knees; C are-thc beams, and I) is'thc rave of the sleigh, about the construction of which partsV there is nothing new. E are the jaws of the brake, which are pivoted to the runner about an inch below the upper edge of said runner by a pin or bolt passing through them and through the runner, The jaws E areiof such a length, that when turned down their lower ends or points should project about an inch and a half below thc-face or lower odge of the runner. At or a little above the pivoting-pin, the upper ends of the jaws E are bent at righ-t angles totheir former course, asshown in iig. I; they are then again bent at right angles, and pass towards each other, meeting and Vbeing. united into a singleshai't or stem directly above the upper edge ofthe runner A, forming a rectangular loop, to allow the jaws to have sufficient play, and so thatthe said loop may pass down over the rear ond of the runner Awhen the brake is attached to said-runner near its end. l F is a handle, formed upon or attached to the jaws E at or a little above their point of meeting, as shown in the drawings. The handle F may pass upthrough a slot formed in the rave D, or it may be bent to one side and pass up through a slot formed in the reaia'end of said rave D, near yits outer edge. This latter con; struction I prefer, as it brings the handle F more out of the way of the load placed upon the sleigh. G is a prong or arm, attached to the jaws E at or a little above their point ofmeeting, for the purpose of preventing the jaws E froth being turned down farther than to bring the said jaws into a position at right angles to the direction of the runner A. The arm Gr should he a little longer than the jaws E, so as to strike the ground before the jaws have quite reached a direction at right angles to the direction of the runner, and it should be turned or set back as shown in iig. l, so as to readily pass over any limb, stone, or other obstruction that may be in the road. H is a spring attached to the under side of the rave D, near the slot, so as to press against the handle F, and hold the brake securely in place when unlocked. The position shown in the drawings is'the most convenient one for the brake when the sleigh is used for drawing cordwood, or other things placed across the sleigh. But when thc loading is placed lengthwise of the sleigh, or when a box is placed upon it, it may be more convenient to place the brake further forward, with the handle passing up through a slot formed between the beams C, as shown in dotted lines in iig. l. In this case the arm G need not be used. The han'dle F may be made straight, as shown in figs. 1 and 2, or it muy be bent lat right angles at the upper surface ot' the rave D, so that when the brake is locked it may lie alo-ng the upper side of said rave. In this easethe spring II will not be required, since when unlocked the weight of the handle will be sulicient to hold the brake in place. The handle F may be made solid with the jaws E, or it may be made detachable'by being inserted inlinks or rings attached to or in u socket formed in the stein of the jaws E where they meet. This construct-ion enables the` handle to be removed for convenience in loading or unloading the sleighi What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The jaws E, pivoted toand straddling the runner A,.prong G, and handle F, when constructed and arranged as herein set forth for the purpose specified.

2. Attaching an arm or prong, G, to the brakeE F, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth. j

WILLIAM SLOAN.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM LONGMUIR, JAMES Pnonnr. 

